The Cambridge News has spoken to employers about the skills they look for in graduates and the incentives that have been put in place to make the transition from higher education to employment as smooth as possible.

When hiring graduates, the vast majority of employers consider qualifications a second priority, with the main focus being on finding the right person with the perfect set of skills, ranging from their general work ethic to the strength of their communication skills.

This is the opinion of many employers in the city, according to Anne Bailey, co-founder of Form the Future, a social enterprise operating across Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire and East Cambridgeshire that aims to connect local businesses with schools in the region.

She said employers often look for personal ability over professional qualifications, adding: “I’ve spoken to countless employers in greater Cambridge, with the vast majority telling me that they hire the candidate based on their attitude, training them for the relevant skills needed later, if necessary.

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“I’ve heard employers complain that the curriculum is too focused on knowledge, instead of being creative, or developing initiative. They are looking for somebody adept at the basic skills required in any role; communication, collaboration and problem solving are all highly desired.

“They aren’t always looking for high flying grades - if students can demonstrate perseverance and determination to get the job done, as well as showcasing a wealth of extra-curricular activity in that field, such as freelance writing or charity work, this will impress those in the hiring position.”

This is backed up by Kate Cavanagh, head of HR at Mick George, a skip hire company that has a big emphasis on work ethic when searching for the ideal employee.

“There are wide ranging business opportunities for graduates at Mick George. Even if some of the positions are difficult to recruit for, due to the fact the relevant skills needed aren’t present on the curriculum, we are always looking for candidates with the right attitude and excellent communication skills, while a degree in a relevant subject area is advantageous,” she said.

“The recent introduction of the apprenticeship levy is likely to help us find ideal employees. We’ve teamed up with local colleges to try and find young people to join us in practical apprenticeships, including plumbing, heat engineering and electrics, and we hope to soon start looking for apprentices in marketing and HR as well.

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“The Government has always supported our industry, but the curriculum as it currently stands doesn’t help students develop the skills needed in trade roles. Being able to hire more new apprentices will help us develop the skills many young people need to work here on a full-time basis, but I think a full construction course needs to be introduced to the curriculum in order to help fill the vacancies in this sector across the country.”

Cambridge Consultants, the product development company based in the Science Park, said there is a similar issue.

Despite the wealth of apprenticeship and trainee programs run by the company, the lack of governmental support for relevant subjects within this field has made it harder for graduates to gain the skills needed to fill its vacancies.

Alison Hughes, director of HR at Cambridge Consultants, claims that more needs to be done to address the huge shortage of skills in this industry.

“The Government’s decision to remove the A-level electronics degree was a bad move and couldn’t have come at a much worse time for our industry,” she said.

“We don’t have enough qualified computer engineers, for example, meaning that when hiring for that role we are looking for graduates with technical degrees and multi-disciplinary skills that can be easily adapted to specific job requirements.

“We do have a tech scholar program, lasting for a period of one year, where we can help build up the skills required in this role - and it also serves as a fantastic recruitment tool.

“We visit schools in the local area to tell them about the program, as many students take it before embarking on a technical degree and this gives first hand work experience that will help them gain the qualifications, as well as the jobs in this industry.”